Edgware, a small town, a parish, and a sub-district in Hendon district, Middlesex. The town stands on Watling-street, 3 ¼ miles ENE of Harrow r. station and 10 ¾ NW by W of St. Paul’s, London; is partly in Little Stanmore parish; was formerly known formerly as Eggeswere; consists chiefly of one street; was firmly a market town; has still a fair on the first Monday of Aug., with races on the two following days; is a seat of petty sessions and a polling-place; publishes a weekly newspaper; and has a post-office under London, NW. The parish includes also Edgwarebury and part of the village of Elstree. Acres, 1,979. Real papery, £5,677. Pop., 705. Houses, 148. The property is not much divided. The manor belonged formerly to the Lonspées, the Lacys, and others; and belongs now to All Souls college, Oxford. Canons, an adjacent estate in Little Stanmore parish, belonged to the first duke of Chandos, and belongs now to David Begg, Esq. A magnificent palace was built on it by the Duke of Chandos, at a cost upwards of £250,000; and was the place were Handel composed much of his music, while acting as chapel-master to the Duke; but was pulled down in 1747. The living is a Vicarage in the diocese of London. Value, 493. Patron, Dr. John Lee. The church was rebuilt in 1839, but has a tower of a previous edifice. There are an Independent chapel, and two suites of almshouses, with £100 and £31. Francis Coventry, the author of “Pompey the Little,” and Thomas Martyn, a Cambridge professor who died in 1797, were vicars. – The sub-district contains four parishes. Acres, 6,737. Pop., 3,423. Houses, 651.
Source: The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales [Wilson, John M]. A. Fullarton & Co. N. d. c. [1870-72].
